CARUSO & MININI TERRE SICILIANE ARANCINO MACERATO BIANCO 2023

Caruso & Minini traces to the 1800s when Antonio Caruso supplied grapes to Marsala producers before descendant Nino began estate bottling in the mid-1900s, with Stefano Caruso partnering with Mario Minini in 2004 to focus on indigenous Sicilian varieties and daughter Giovanna now managing the organic BIO project. This orange wine blends Catarratto and Inzolia from 5 organically farmed hectares at 200-400 meters elevation on Sicily's western coast, where alluvial soils contain softball-sized stones called cuti that absorb solar heat and transfer it to vines for earlier ripening and higher acidity retention. The wine macerates on skins for 20 days before native yeast fermentation and lees aging, producing amber color, orange peel aromatics, yellow peach and apricot flavors, floral notes, and substantial tannin grip from extended maceration that provides structure typically absent in white wines. Strong winds 20 kilometers from the sea moderate temperatures without damaging vines, while the ancient underwater seabed contributes mineral salts that enhance the cuti stones' distinctive influence on grape character.